Public radio in the context of "Broadcasting"

⭐ In the context of broadcasting, what fundamentally distinguished early radio, telephone, and telegraph communication from the new model established by AM radio?

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⭐ Core Definition: Public radio

Public broadcasting (or public service broadcasting) is radio, television, and other electronic media whose primary mission is public service with a commitment to avoiding political and commercial influence. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions and donations, public financing, and corporate underwriting.

A public service broadcaster should operate as a non-partisan, non-profit entity, guided by a clear public interest mandate. Public service broadcasters must be safeguarded from external interference—especially of a political or commercial nature—in matters related to governance, budgeting, and editorial decision-making. The public service broadcasting model relies on an independent and transparent system of governance, encompassing key areas such as editorial policy, managerial appointments, and financial oversight.

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👉 Public radio in the context of Broadcasting

Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via an electronic mass communications medium, typically using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began with AM radio, which became popular around 1920 with the spread of vacuum tube radio transmitters and receivers. Before this, most implementations of electronic communication (early radio, telephone, and telegraph) were one-to-one, with the message intended for a single recipient. The term broadcasting evolved from its use as the agricultural method of sowing seeds in a field by casting them broadly about. It was later adopted for describing the widespread distribution of information by printed materials or by telegraph. Examples applying it to "one-to-many" radio transmissions of an individual station to multiple listeners appeared as early as 1898.

Over-the-air broadcasting is usually associated with radio and television, though more recently, both radio and television transmissions have begun to be distributed by cable (cable television). The receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively small subset; the point is that anyone with the appropriate receiving technology and equipment (e.g., a radio or television set) can receive the signal. The field of broadcasting includes both government-managed services such as public radio, community radio and public television, and private commercial radio and commercial television. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, title 47, part 97 defines broadcasting as "transmissions intended for reception by the general public, either direct or relayed". Private or two-way telecommunications transmissions do not qualify under this definition. For example, amateur ("ham") and citizens band (CB) radio operators are not allowed to broadcast. As defined, transmitting and broadcasting are not the same.

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Public radio in the context of WDET-FM

WDET-FM (101.9 MHz) is a public radio station in Detroit, Michigan. It is owned by Wayne State University with its studios and transmitter in the Cass Corridor neighborhood. WDET broadcasts shows from National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media. The station is the primary provider of news involving the American automotive industry, and the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) named WDET the 2021 and 2022 Public Radio Station of the Year.

WDET-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 48,000 watts. It is licensed to broadcast using HD Radio technology. WDET-FM's signal covers much of Southeast Michigan and part of Southwestern Ontario.

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Public radio in the context of Punk rock in Australia

Australian musicians played and recorded some of the earliest punk rock, led by the Saints who released their first single in 1976. Subgenres of punk music, such as local hardcore acts, still have a strong cult following throughout Australia.

Many of the pioneers, like the Saints, Sydney band Radio Birdman, and young Perth musician Kim Salmon, were highly influenced by proto-punk sounds from Detroit. A distinct Brisbane punk scene emerged in the 1970s. By 1977, other bands began to form in Sydney, under the influence of Radio Birdman and other local and overseas acts. During the late 1970s, former members of Radio Birdman contributed to several new bands. These bands and other Australian and overseas punk acts were supported by public radio stations. In Melbourne scene, art rock had segued into punk, then evolved into post-punk, typified by the careers of Nick Cave, Rowland S. Howard and the Little Band scene. Another pioneering figure of Australian postpunk was Saints founder Ed Kuepper.

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Public radio in the context of Music radio

Music radio is a radio format in which music is the main broadcast content. After television replaced old time radio's dramatic content, music formats became dominant in many countries. Radio drama and comedy continue, often on public radio.

Music drives radio technology, including wide-band FM, modern digital radio systems such as Digital Radio Mondiale, and even the rise of internet radio and music streaming services (such as Pandora and Spotify).

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Public radio in the context of Underwriting spot

An underwriting spot, known as sponsor credit (Japanese: 提供クレジット, romanizedTeikyō kurejitto) in Japan, is an announcement made on public broadcasting outlets, especially in the United States, in exchange for funding. These spots usually mention the name of the sponsor, and can resemble traditional television advertisements in commercial broadcasting to a limited extent; however, under the terms of a public broadcaster's license from the Federal Communications Commission, such spots are prohibited from being promotional (such as making product claims, using superlatives, or being more than 30 seconds long) or making any sort of "call to action" (a phrase that refers to "any device designed to prompt an immediate response or encourage an immediate sale" such as announcing prices or providing an incentive to buy). In the U.S., these restrictions apply to any television or radio station licensed as a non-commercial educational (NCE) stations, and even for non-sponsoring companies and products. However, this is not the case in Japan, as these spots can be played on both public and private broadcasters and are typically played alongside traditional commercials and appear after a show's opening theme or after a preview of a next episode or appear during a scene of a show.

Donors who contribute funding can include corporations, small businesses, philanthropic organizations, charitable trusts, and individuals. An underwriting spot can typically include the name (and, in local underwriting spots, address) of the underwriter, possibly including a company slogan (provided the slogan does not contain a call to action) and a message of appreciation, either from the sponsor indicating its pride in the program or from the station indicating its thanks for the underwriter's sponsorship. Individual spots, more apparent on public radio, often are used to express personal appreciation for the station's programming, and often also offer family members or friend best wishes on a major life event such as a wedding, anniversary or birthday.

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